Sangha to Sangha

Thursday, January 30, 2025 5:54 PM | Program Administrator (Administrator)


A new feature for our newsletter: have news you'd like to share with the broader sangha in the newsletter? Just send your submission to newsletter@redcedarzen.org

Red Cedar Social Media by Seishin Mitsuzan

Follow the Sangha on Instagram and FaceBook @redcedarzencommunity for short dharma videos and community updates. There will be a variety of video offerings that will include brief introductions to different aspects of practice, concise mini Dharma Talks, and an open invitation to the community to participate in filming reels. This could look like introduction clips where you can talk about yourself and your practice; or a short talk about your current practice or studies. If you would like to be involved in this please reach out to Seishin at queerbuddhistnurse@gmail.com

Join the Whatsapp Group through this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/B9ahc0oevBnLX6vWv086Nf

WhatsApp will not replace the email list. Instead it is a more horizontal communication platform where anyone can post and start discussion. This is intended to promote connection and foster community, as well as to enable informal Sangha gatherings. If you would like to invite people to an informal meditation in your living room, set up a time to get together with peers at a cafe, or ask for support like a carpool to Temple, feel free to connect on WhatsApp.

Supporting an Immigrant Family by Ken & Julie Oates

Julie has been supporting an Afghan family, the Momands. The Momands are a family of six: a mother, three sons and two daughters.  The eldest son, Aziz, worked for the US forces as an interpreter until their withdrawal. Because of Taliban reprisals, they can no longer live in Afghanistan, and Julie has been financing their life as undocumented immigrants in Pakistan, which has been deporting all Afghans back to Afghanistan.  She has also been coordinating getting US visas for them, which has involved enlisting the help of Senator Cantwell to push through red tape.  Yesterday (the day the new administration stopped all refugee arrivals in the US) Julie and Ken picked up five of the six family members at SeaTac after Julie managed to get visas for 5 of the 6 and arrange flights in the nick of time. Unfortunately, due to a mix up about her date of birth, the younger daughter was forced to stay behind.  The family had to make the decision of staying together and all of them being forced back to Afghanistan to watch the oldest brother go to prison and perhaps face execution or to split up and save five of the six.  

This photo shows the sons, LaZada, Aziz and Wahid. Their mother Malalai and sister Shakela asked not to be in a shared photograph according to their Muslim beliefs.

Ken is asking the sangha to consider donating to Julie’s efforts.  She has spent more than $40,000 of her own money on this project. Attached is a link to a crowd fund Julie has set up.

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